San Diego Boat Tours

Today’s charter on the yacht, was a burial at sea that took place on the north side of Point Loma so that the family could lay their mother to rest at the same coordinates their father had been “buried” 30 years earlier off of a Navy sub. The family members reunited on the yacht from Washington state and Arizona for the solemn occasion.

A normal sunny day in San Diego, the charter began typically as we headed on out through the channel. The two sons stayed for a long while on the flybridge of the yacht talking to Capt. W.C. Young about their collective Navy and other military service, while some family members sat in the sun on the boat’s bow, or out of the sun’s rays on the covered sun deck.

This family had opted for a biodegradable “urn,” allowing them to simply lay the ashes on the water as the urn slowly dispersed into the ocean. They had also chosen to have a private ceremony of their own preparation, rather than have W.C. or myself do any readings … that we are always more than happy to do when desired. We honored their privacy, and the yacht got back underway when the family was ready.

I continue to observe that every family that chooses a burial at sea, always seem to make the return trip with a sense of great relief and peace. And, when they charter the yacht for such a service, they have the run of the boat, and are able to do things as they see fit. It never ceases to amaze me how touching and freeing the experience is for everyone … including the crew.

On a beautiful Saturday, the yacht set out on a two hour tour. Heading toward the end of Point Loma, a visit with the seal lions was in store. After beginning to poke our nose into the pacific ocean, we returned to the bay. From there we headed downtown through San Diego Bay past the aircraft carriers and under the Coronado Bay bridge. It was then on to downtown, the “Star of India” (see our article on the worlds oldest ship) and back to own starting place on Shelter Island. A good time was had by all!

San Diego Boat Tours provides burial at sea services for families wishing to say goodbye to a loved one in this manner.  Off the coast of San Diego provides a beautiful backdrop for this event.  This event is much more a celebration of life than a traditional funeral.  If we many be of assistance to you in this manner - please contact us.

San Diego Yacht wedding are a beautiful and unique way to,“tie the knot”. In addition to traditional wedding venues, many couples prefer to make their special day even more memorable by creating a one-of-a-kind ceremony in unique locations, such as beaches, gardens, or perhaps even on a yacht, cruising San Diego Bay.

Weddings aboard a yacht offer couples and their guests a personal, customized event with an unparalleled backdrop. For example, imagine saying “I do” while the sun sets, and the lights of the city begin to twinkle, creating that magical sparkle on both the water and the buildings of San Diego’s beautiful skyline. Yacht weddings can range from the small and intimate, to large and festive … and the captain of the vessel can even perform the ceremony.

We left the dock at 6:30 p.m. on Independence Day, with Capt. W.C. Young at the helm. A local company, had chartered the yacht to experience the incredible sunset on the Pacific Ocean, and of course to see the spectacular 4^th of July fireworks around the Big Bay.

Yuki, who had organized the charter, saw to it that there were plenty of hors d’oeuvres, sandwiches, snacks and beverages for everyone … and the fun began right away. They were even generous enough to offer W.C. and me each a sandwich. Some guests grabbed their goodies and moved out to the bow of the boat, and a few decided to check the view out from the flybridge and keep W.C. company. Both places offer a fantastic view, so everyone was happy.

Of course W.C. regaled his audience with bits of San Diego history and Navy lore (from personal experience!) as we passed the subs at Naval Base Point Loma, the aircraft carriers at Naval Base Coronado, the Maritime Museum and the USS Midway Museum. I always manage to put my two cents in as well, and answered a few questions here and there about all the points of interest along waterfront.

As dusk approached, many more boats made their way into the harbor jockeying for a good spot for the best fireworks viewing. Little did they know that it almost doesn’t matter where you watch from if you’re lucky enough to be out on the water on the 4^th, as there is literally a 360º simultaneous show, consisting of … well, I counted eight – maybe nine – different displays coming from Downtown, National City, SeaWorld, Mission Beach, and just about everywhere else around the county. It truly was awesome.

We cruised around the Embarcadero for a while afterward, while the Bay cleared out a little. Watching all the different kind of boats head back to their docks was a show in itself. There was a lot of laughing on this trip … and everyone enjoyed the night.